Rack



May. 24 1927.

T. T. BERNARD 1630'105 RACK med June 29. 1925 2 sheets-sheetl 1 lg i 15"ze l Patented May 24, 1927..

UNITED STATES 1,630,105 Parr-:NT OFFICE.'

:moms THEoDoaE BERNARD, or smi. Louis, MISSOURI.

BACK.

Application and :une 29, i925. serial No. 40,433.

tion requires the allotment of considerable floor space for thispurpose. Floor space is a desideratum, because the less'the spacerequired for a given volume of business, the more productive is theinvestment of the store owner. The time necessary to complete atransaction is also of the greatest importance, because the greaterv thenumber of sales in a given'tme, the less is the overhead expense ersale. j

Accor ingly, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a rackor the purpose set forth which will needless floor space for a givennumber 'of commodities than thel tables and counters fhitherto employedfor this purpose.

Another object is to provide a rack which is adapted t0 expedite thetransaction of business; and to this end provides means for displayingthe cards in an orderly fashion, and so as to beviewedwith a minimum ofeffort on the part of the observer, and means for most effectivelyilluminating the same.

Another object is to provide means for displaying only one card Lofevery kind as a sample, the remaining cards of a group to which thesample belongs being arranged in a compact manner in juxtaposition tothe sample, thereby rendering unnecessary any handling of the cards forinspection. and preserving them from dust and the linger marks ofslovenly patrons.

Another object is to provide a rack having shelves which may be adjustedto accommodate different sizes of cards. l

A further object isto provide a novelform of clip which may be readilyattached to4 the shelves for the purpose "of holding and identifying thevarious sample'cards or indicating the price thereof or imparting otherinformation that may be desired. Because of the structure and mode ofuse of this clip,

it is extremely adjustable.

It is further contemplated to provide a rack Vwhich may be used eitheras a wall rack, or be combined with another similar rack, thus forming atwo-faced or double rack, which may be placed in a more central portionof the store.

A .further purpose of this invention is to provide arack having novelcomponent parts which may be manufactured cheaply 1n quantityproduction; and which facilitate the rapid and economical assembly ofthe same into a complete unit. Other objects and advantages will appear1n the course of the following description pf the preferred embodimentof this invenion.

In the accompanying drawings formingI part of this specification, inwhich like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever elevation,partly in section on the line 6-6 in Figure 8;

Figure 7 partition;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional View taken onthe line 8-8 in Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a similar v iew showing the shelves holding cards; and

Figure y10 is a perspective view of the sample clip adapted forattachment to the shelves ,ofy the rack as it appears when detached. v

The framework of the rack is preferably constructed of wood andcomprises upright boards l arranged transversely at each end andconnected at the top by horizontal board 2 and at a moderate distancefrom the Hoorl by a horizontal board 3,. which may also serve as thelowest shelf. Feet 4 yare preferably secured to the lower ends of theupright members 1. A vertical panel 5 connects the members 1 between theshelf 3 and the feet 4. Panel 5 braces the frame is a plan view of atransverse i'ttransversely Brackets 6 are secured to ci I' fthe upperend portions of the uprights 1, and together with top board 3, projectbeyond the front face of the rack to form a canopy 7. ,A board 8connects the outer `ends of the brackets 6 and forms a depending flangefor the board 3. A fibre-board backing 9 is secured to the rear ends ofthe members 1. 2, and The several parts may be connected together in anyconventional manner, preferably by means of Suitable nails.

Shelf-supporting strips 10 are secured to the inner sides of uprightpieces 1 adjacent to the longitudinal edges thereof and between thebracket 6 and the fixedshelf 3. The strips 10 are preferably formed ofVsheet metal and have a series of inwardly-extending projections 11alternating with another series of inwardly-extending projections 12.The projections 11 and 12 are preferably in the form of flanges struckout from the body of the strip by partly severing portions of the strias at 13 and 14. respectively, and ben ing them inwardly at right anglepreferably, the flanges 11 being perpendicular to the longitudinal edgesof the strips, and the flanges 12 being inclined upwardly toward theforward edges of the strips, forming a tapered channel 15 to receive theshelves 16, the rear ends of the channels snugly fitting the shelves andthe forward ends being wider to formsa mouth to facilitate the insertionof the shelves thereinto. The strips 10 are perforated for the passageof nails 17, by means of which they are secured to the upright members1.

The shelves 16 have secured to their front ends the upwardly extendingflanges 18, provided with openings 19, affording a view of thoseportions of the contents that would otherwise be concealed by theflanges 18 in I the absence of the openings 19. The flanges 18 arepreferably formed of upper and lower strips of wood 2() and 21,respectively, connected by interviewing blocks 22. the various partsbeing preferably nailed together, and the flanges nailed as units to thefront ends of their respective shelves. The flanges 18 on the uppershelves are preferably vertical in the direction of their width: theflange on the lowest removable shelf 16 preferably reclines slightlyfrom the vertical position toward the rear; and the flange 18 on thefixed shelf 3 preferably ret-lines still further in the same direction.The reclination of the lower flanges enables any display matter on theirouter faces to be viewed with a minimum ofeffort on the part of anobserver, because these flanges are lower than the eyes of the observer,and their being inclined at respective acute angles to the sheivesplaces their outer faces more nearly at a normal to the line of sight ofthe observer. Partitions 23 may be substantially L-shaped 27 ispreferably formed of a Veled to fit the same, and the forward placed onthe shelves 16 at suitable intervals to separate one group ofcommodities from another. The partitions 23 are preferably formed ofsheet metal, and have respective portions of their lower ends bent atright angles in opposite directions to form supporting feet 24 tomaintain the partitions in an upright position.

A sample 25 of the individual cards 26 or the like constituting a groupmay be displayed ou the outer side of t e flange 18 of the shelf. beingsecuredthereto directly in front of its related group 26 by means ofclips 27, adapted to clamp the lateral edges of the sample 25 `againstthe flange 18, so as not. to obscure the matter displayel thereon. Eachof the clips resilient strip of sheet. metal bent into shape and havingprongs 28 struck from one of its arms 29 and bent inwardly at rightangles thereto. The other arm 30 has its upper portion 31 bent slightlyinward, so that, when the clip is attached to the shelf by pressingtheprongs 28 against the under side of the shelf with the lower portionofthe arm 30 against the flange 18, the upper portion 31 will tend topress that portion of the card, on which it bears into the opening 19,givin the card a slightly arcuate shape and thusolding it more securelyagainst the strips 20 and 21. The clips 27 may bear on their outer facesvarious markings or designating characters 32, such as the price of thecard held by the clips. The shelves having the reclining flanges mayhave their forward edges bevortion of their bottom surfaces bevelc atright angles to their forward beveled edges t 1) accommodate the prongedarm of the c ips.

The canopy 7 contains therein a/retlector 33, adapted to reflect thelight from electric lamps 34 against the front face of the rack so as toilluminate all the matter displayed thereon, and yet shield the eyes ofthe observer from direct light from the lam s. The reflector 33 ispreferably formed o bright sheet metal, secured to the canopy in anysuitable manner, being of arcuate section and extending from one end ofthe rack to the other. The lamps 34 are secured in the conventionalsockets 35, connected to a conduit 36 by nipples 37, passing through thetop Wall 2. Conduit 36 terminates in a socket 38 situated on the top ofthe rack and adapted f or connection to a plug of a flexible extensionfrom an electric lighting circuit.

A single rack against a wall two racks may may be placed with its backto serve as a wall rack, or be placed with their back `.sides togetherand function as a two-faced of parts,

' sight of an observer.

with pins 39, referably metal, secured in their upper .en s to projectupwardly therefrom. j Similar pins 39 are similarly secured in the topboards 2 at each outer end thereof. Ties or' connector bars 40,preferably wood, have holes 41 in each end which form respective socketsfor the corresponding pins 39 of the opposing racks.

I-IavimT thus fully described this invention, I hereby reserve thebenefit'v of all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use as it isevident that many minor changesmay be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A rack of the character described comprising a series of shelvesdisposed at different heights and provided with respective flanges ontheir forward edges, some of the flanges being vertical transversely andothers being inclined from a vertical position so as to presentt-heii'respective outer faces approximately at a normal to the line of2. A rack of thecliaracter described coniprising ay series of shelvesdispogcd at ditl'erent heights and provided on their top sides withrespective flanges ,presenting outer display faces, the upper flangesbeing substan-v tially vertical, and the lower flanges recliningrearwardly, the reclination of successive shelves increasing in theirdescending order.

3. A rack of the character described comprising a series of shelvesdisposed at difierent heights and provided with respective fianges ontheir forward edges and having openings therethrough, some of theflanges being vertical transversely and others being inclined from avertical position so as to present their respective outer facesapproximately at. a normal to the line of sight ofk an observer. A

4. A rack of the character described comprising a pair of oppositelydisposed end walls` a pair of shelf-supporting strips secured on theinner side of each end wall adjacent the longitudinal edges thereof` thesaid strips bearing alternative shelf-siipporting projections, oneseries of alternative pro- -jections `being angularly disposed and aplurality of shelves borne at their respect-ive corners by correspondingprojections, said angiilarly disposed projections clamping the thetapered channels formed by said projections.

- In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

'riioMAs THEoDoRE BERNARD.

